If you purchase a “living lettuce”, either at a local grocery store (I bought the one in the photo at Sobeys) or at a market, you can get a second, smaller crop under a single fluorescent tube or LED strip light, the type we use to start bedding plants.
 
After you cut off the leaves to make a salad, plant the living root into a small pot with some potting mix and give it a wee bit of fertilizer or work some worm castings into the mix before planting. In 3-4 weeks, the leaves might be big enough for a small harvest. This is a fun activity to try with children!

For more information on how these living lettuces are produced, take a peek here.

I love it when I get many uses out of equipment I purchase because it just makes good sense, reduces clutter and saves money. So when it comes to a grow light, you need to think about:
- How often will you use this light?
- How many different ways can this light serve you?
- What is the right size for your purposes and where will you store it when it’s not in use?
 
In my case, the answers to the above questions are as follows. I have a 22 inch Sunblaster T-5 fluorescent light with a Universal T-5 light stand. I use the light for microgreens when I want to grow many trays and I have run out of space near a window. I also grow some herbs in the winter under this light, and starting in March, I use it to grow seedlings. Plus, having the grow light with some plants near my work desk is a nice boost during dark winter days. So here are 4 uses for an approx. $90 investment. I can take the frame apart and store it in a box with other seasonal gardening materials.
 
The T-5 fluorescent tubes are energy efficient and work best with a reflector. Extra light can be bounced back to the plants when set up near a white wall or by placing mirrors strategically.
 
There are a few options for stands and also light length, typically either 2 feet or 4 feet long. The Universal T-5 light stand works well and the Jumpstart T-5 Grow Light is similar in price but has a fixed frame with a nice pulley system for raising the light bulb. Many garden centres in Edmonton have the bulb/fixture/reflector, but you have to check around a bit for a stand. I have personally seen the Jumpstart system at Apache Seeds and the Universal stand at the Root Seller, but you can call other places to check.

If you are confused about bugs driving you crazy in your home, you are not alone. Fruit flies and fungus gnats are likely what you are swatting but where do they come from and what can you do? Fungus gnats are very small black flies – their eggs are in potting mix, and so they come with your potted plants or the mix you purchase for repotting your plants. The larvae feed on organic matter in the soil and don’t usually damage your plants. You can hang up yellow sticky traps to catch the flying adults and reduce their numbers. You can also purchase diatomaceous earth and dig the white powder into the top layer of your potted plants and stir it into potting mix when planting or transplanting. Some people have moderate success with placing a layer of sand or grit on top of the soil. Another useful product is Growstone Gnat Nix, a recycled glass product that you spread on top of the soil. You can find it at some garden centers or online. None of these tricks are 100% successful, especially if you keep the pots continually moist. Let your pots dry out between watering to reduce the success of the pesky gnats.

Fruit flies hatch from the peel of fruit. If you have a compost or garbage bin that has not been emptied in a while, you might see the odd fruit fly in your house. If you like to compost with red wiggler worms, it’s best to avoid feeding them banana peels or citrus fruit. Once you have an outbreak of fruit flies in your worm bin, it’s almost impossible to get rid of them.